Cigarette dispensing machine



Jan. 28, 1936. DB, LANE; 2,028,787

CIGARETTE DISPENSING MACHINE Original Fild Oct. 5, 1931 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Gm MQLM dub 1mg Jan. 28, 1936. D. B. LANE 2,028,787

CIGARETTE DISPENSING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 3, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 28, 1936. D, 5 LANE 2,028,787

CIGARETTE DISPENS ING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 3, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 O [Jill 11111111111111,

Patented Jan. 28, 1936 I 2,028,787

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIGARETTE DISPENSING MACHINE Donald Bruce Lane, Glen Cove, N. Y., assignor to Kimmelman 8; Lane Holding 00., Inc., New York, N. Y., a. corporation oi! New York Application October a, 1931, Serial No. 566,674 Renewed May 16, 1935 Claims. (Cl. 312 -86) This invention relates to a device for dispens- In general, a coin inserted in a slot causes oping lighted cigarettes or cigars, and more pareration of a motor which rotates conveying ticularly to that type which is coin controlled. means for conducting a cigarette from a reser- That is to that type wherein the buyer brings voir to a dispensing tray but causing the ciga- 5 about the setting in motion of revoluble parts rette to pause enroute when its end is aligned which convey a cigarette from a reservoir to a with an igniting element (also energized by the dispensing tray causing it to pause long enough motor operating circuit) long enough to be en route to be lighted. lighted thereby.

The objects of the invention are to devise a ll indicates a coin chute in an auxiliary elecdispensing apparatus of this type which is comtric circuit I! so arranged that a coin in slid- 10 pact so that it can be housed in a relatively ing down the chute closes the circuit, or rather small and attractive casing; which is dependable it closes the circuit to a magnetic switch or rein operation as all automatic vending machines lay l3 (having a spring pulled interrupter l4) must be to be successful; which is reasonable as which when once closed completes a circuit i5 to cost of manufacture; which will light the and this circuitis maintained closed even though 15 cigarette with a minimum of pausing adjacent the circuit I2 is opened as soon as the coin slides the igniting element; which will deliver the lightout of the chute i I. ed cigarette with its mouth-engaging end free The main electrical circuit l5 includes a motor from dirt and ashes; and which will assure the Hi which by suitable gearing rotates a commulighted cigarette continuing to turn after it has tator IT, a cigarette conveying drum l8, and an 20 been delivered to the dispensing tray. Other obendless band is which conducts a cigarette from jects also have been contemplated which will apthe cigarette reservoir to the drum conveyor l8. pear hereinafter. Laterally adjacent the drum conveyor I8, is the The objects of this invention may be attained electrically operated cigarette igniter element by a device set in functioning condition by the 20 also in circuit l5. Therefore, closing of the 5 insertion of a coin which starts a motor opercircuit l5, energizes the motor l6 which rotates ating to convey a cigarette from a hopper to a commutator l1, cigarette conveyor l9, and drum dispensing tray, causing it to pause en route conveyor iii. A cigarette is delivered to the when adjacent an electrical lighting element groove or recess 2| of drum l8, and the rota- 3 meanwhile causing suction through the cigarette tion of the drum l8 continues until it reaches a to facilitate its'being lighted. And then deiiverpoint adjacent to the igniter 20, the drum I8 ing the lighted cigarette to its dispensing tray pauses by means of interruptions on the drum in such a manner that it is free from ashes and driving gear (not shown in this figure but as 40 that its continued burning is assured until picked in Fig. 1). This pause is only long enough to up by its buyer. cause ignition of the cigarette which is stimulated 35 Drawings accompany this specification for the by an air suction operating uponthe other end purpose of illustrating one embodiment of my inof the cigarette (described hereinafter). The

' vention so that its nature may be readily underigniter 20 is caused to glow at the proper time stood. In these drawings Figure 1 is a vertical because it is in the same circuit 15 as the mo- 40 sectional view taken through my cigarette distor and is therefore concurrently operated. After 40 pensing machine from front to back. Fig. 2 is pausing to permit lighting of the cigarette, the a vertical sectional view taken along the line drum driving gear (40) is rotated again by its 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse horizontal meshing interrupted gear 41 to discharge the sectional view taken along line 3-3 in Fig. 1. lighted cigarette to the dispensing tray.

45 Fig. 4 is a partial view of the igniting element in Upon discharge of the lighted cigarette, rota- 45 vertical section along the line 44 in Fig. 3. tion of the commutator I! has brought the in- Fig. 5 is a composite view showing diagrammatisulation 23 in contact with brush 24 which breaks cally the electrical circuit and a perspective view circuit l5, whereupon the spring pulled interisolating the more important elements operated rupter I4 is moved to still further break the cirby the circuit. cuit l5 and all parts are then ready for reopera- 50 This invention involves primarily the arrangetion due to a coin passing through chute ll. ment shown in Fig. 5. When this is understood, Momentum oi the motor causes continued rotaits embodiment in a machine is readily made tion of commutator l1 until insulation 23 (after clear, so a description of this arrangement will causing breaking of the circuit) passes by the be given first. brush whereby the brush is left in contact with the live" part of the commutator and is ready for re-operation.

Bearing in mind this principle of operation, the

following structural arrangement will be under stood.

The coin chute II is supported from the main casing 25 of my dispensing device, and comprises two spaced apart channel members 26 and 21, to each of which is attached a wire 28 and 29 respectively, forming a part of auxiliary circuit I2 as described in connection with Fig. 5. When a coin is slid down the chute II, it bridges the space between the channel members 26 and 21 and completes the auxiliary electrical circuit I2 thereacross. Coins, after sliding down the chute II, drop into a coin box 39 detachably supported upon a door 3| at the side of casing 25.

The cigarettes to be dispensed are stored in a reservoir or supply hopper 32, having an inclined bottom 33 terminating in a discharge passage or throat 34 whose cross-sectional area is only slightly larger than a cigarette from the hopper 32. There is a tendency fdr the cigarettes to become disarranged, so to rearrange the cigarettes to prevent their jamming in entering discharge passage 34 whose dimensions are such that only one cigarette can enter at a time, there is provided an endless band, conveyor or other impeller I9 moving upwardly within the hopper 32 whereby cigarettes on the inclined hopper bottom 33 are circulated upwardly therealong, over, and then down the throat 34. Conveyor I9 takes around an idler pulley 35 journalled in partition walls 36 and 31 in the casing 25. Conveyor I9 also takes around pulley 38 which is rotated by gear 39, driven through a train of gearing (to be described later on) by motor I6.

From the discharge passage 34, a cigarette drops into a recess 2| in drum conveyor I8 so that it may be conveyed by the drum as the drum is rotated. Rotation of the drum I8 is brought about by means of a gear 40, with which meshes an interrupted or mutilated gear 4i mounted on shaft 42. Shaft 42 is rotated by motor I6 through gear arrangement 43 (cooperating with motor shaft 51) vertical shaft 44 and worm gears 45. Vertical shaft 44 is suitably supported by brackets 46 mounted on partition 36. On shaft 42 is alsomounted commutator I1 with its insulated block 23 and brush 24 operating in the main circuit I5.

Through the medium of the interrupted gear 4|, when the drum conveyor with a cigarette in a recess 2| reaches a position in line horizontally with the igniter 29, the drum pauses. The igniter is mounted on partition wall 31 and comprises an electric glowable resistance element 41 held in place by screws 48 passing through a threaded plug 49 and a conductor plate to a knurled knob 5|. The plug 49, by means of the knob 5| is screwable into and out of a socket 52 which contains electrical contacts 53 and 54 respectively in the circuit I5. From circuit I5, current is conveyed through contacts 53 and 54 to plate 50, and through screws 48 to the electrical glow igniting coils 41. The socket 52 is secured to partition wall 31 by means of screws 55.

While the conveyor drum I8 is at rest with its cigarettealigned with the igniter 20, suction is applied to that end of the cigarette opposite the igniter. Means forproducing the suction comprises a fan member 56 on the motor shaft 51, in a housing 58, opening into which is a,suction duct 59 leading from a point in the same horizontal plane as the igniter 20 but adjacent the about the required operation So, closure of circuit l5 sets in operation motor opposite end of the drum I8., The fan 58 sucks air through a cigarette in recess 2|, and through duct 59, which air is expelled from the fan housing 58 through exhaust opening 60. The blades of the fan 56 stop short of the center of rotation of the fan in order to leave an unobstructed space 6| for the thorough exhausting of the air sucked from or through the cigarette.

Renewed rotation of the drum I8 drops the lighted cigarette into the dispensing chute or tray 62. This tray is apertured at 63 to permit any dust or ash upon this end of the cigarette to fall through the tray and not to accumulate therein. Similarly, an aperture 64 is provided at the other end of the tray 62 so that sufilcient air is available to maintain the lighted cigarette burning until its purchaser can remove it from the tray 62. To facilitate the removal of the cigarette from the tray a recess 65 is provided to make easy the grasping of the cigarette by the buyer's fingers.

During passage from the drum I8 to the tray 62 of the lighted cigarette, ashes may fall therefrom, so the tray 62 is apertured at 66. The bottom of the casing 25 is apertured with an aligned opening at 36a to let the ashes fall therethrough. The back of the casing 25 is perforated at 61 to permit the exhaust from the fan housing 53 and exhaust opening 68 to pass out of the casing.

A glass 58 is provided in thefront of the casing 25 so the purchaser can see that there are still some cigarettes in the machine for dispensing. A door 69 is provided in partition 31 whereby a fresh supply of cigarettes can be placed in the hopper 32, and a further door 10 is provided in the side of the casing 25 to give access to the mechanisms within the casing.

A gear 39 driving the conveyor I9 is driven from a gear mounted on shaft 12 on which drum conveyor 5 8 is carried.

Operati01z.-The would-be cigarette buyer in approaching the machine would in all probability observe that there was present a vendable supply of cigarettes as they would be apparentthrough inspection glass 68. Then the buyer would insert his coin in chute II, the coin making electrical contact or connection between coin guides 26 and 21 and their wires 28 and 29 completing auxiliary circuit I2. Completion of this circuit I2 (see Fig. 5) by energizing electromagnet 13 causes depression of the interrupter I4 against the pulling of spring 14 against the interrupter. Depression of interrupter l4 closes the gap between interrupter and contact 15. Closing of the gap between interrupter and contact 15 closes circuit I5 which is the main operating circuit. Closing of this circuit also energizes magnet 13 so the interrupter I4 is held closed even after auxiliary circuit I2 is broken by the coin dropping out of its chute.

The coin slides through the chute II so its momentary completing of the auxiliary circuit I2 must be used to close main circuit I5 in a. way which will maintain circuit I5 closed. to bring of the device.

I6 and this in turn operates three things, namely, the impeller or band I9 for rotating the body of cigarettes whereby cigarettes from the hopper 32 singly pass down through the throat passage to the drum conveyor I8; rotates drum I8 to take from the throat one cigarette at a time and pausing when its cigarette is adjacent igniter 28, energizes igniter 20 to cause it toflow; operates fan 56 to cause a constant suction on the cigarette while being ignited; and rotates commutator l1 whereby the motor circuit is broken after the motor has done its work.

Describing the operation of each of these phases in more detail-motor I6 rotates its shaft 51 which through the medium of gearing 43, vertical shaft 44 and gearing 45 rotates shaft 42. R0- tation of shaft 42 turns interrupter gear 41l and this gear turns gear 40 and through it shaft 12 with the elements carried by it, conveyor drum l 8 and gear I I. Gear ll meshes with and tums-gear 39. Rotation of gear 39 operates the endless belt I! which orderly directs a cigarette from the hopper 31 down through throat passage 34 singly into a recess 2| on drum conveyor ll.

Rotation of drum II by the meshing of gears 40 and 4| carries the cigarette in its recess 2| until the non-toothed portion of the interrupted gear 4| comes; around which is timed so that this happens just when the cigarette in its recess is aligned with and becomes adjacent to the igniter 20-. Passage of the non-toothed portion of the gear 4| over the gear 4!! permits the cigarette to pause adjacent the igniter long enough for it to become lighted. As the toothed portion of gear 4| comes in contact with the toothed gear 40, the drum II is rotated again and the lighted cigarette falls from its recess and down into the dispensing tray 62.-

Retracing our steps to the closing of the main circuit IE, it will be seen that this also causes current to flow to the igniter through wires 53 and 54 and the coiled resistance element 41 to glow which is used to light the cigarette.

Again, operation of motor shaft 51 rotates fan 56 which causes suction through duct as and also through a cigarette on drum [8 when aligned with igniter 20 which assures lighting of the cigarette.

And finally, rotation of shaft 42 causes rotation of commutator l1 until insulation block 23 comes in contact with brush 24 which breaks circuit l5. This in turn deenergizes magnet I3 and permits spring I4 to pull interrupter I4 away from contact 15, whereupon all parts are stopped and arranged for re-operation anew.

It will thus be seen that I have devised a cigarette dispensing machine with several outstanding advantages. One is the interposing of a throat between the cigarette reservoir or hopper and the rotating drum which conveys the cigarette past the igniter. This throat arrangement provides a minimum aperture'for the delivery of one cigarette at a time to the feed mechanism so that the cigarettes in the hopper may be maintained under proper humidifying conditions. Another feature consists in the control of the cigarettes passing to the throat by setting up a mass rotation movement of the cigarettes in the hopper but in a manner which produce a minimum of tobacco crumbs. Another feature is that no cigarette remains in the conveyor to dry out. When the device is operated, the buyer gets a cigarette taken directly from the humidifying conditions of the hopper. The cigarette is not maintained in contact with the igniter for any appreciable length of time to have the heat dry out the tobacco of the cigarette since the cigarette pauses in alignment with the igniter only long enough to v be ignited.

Only the best embodiment of my invention of which I am at present informed has been shown but it is shown in an illustrative sense and not a limiting one for obviously many modifications are possible in construction and arrangement withp out departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

For instance, whereas I have described my dispenser as coin controlled, I may substitute for a coin in the coin-chute as an initiator for closing the auxiliary circuit, a push-button or any other arrangement which will momentarily close the auxiliary circuit.

Where the dispensers are used to sell their cigarettes, the coin control will be used but if the dispensers should be used in a home or club where the sale of the cigarettes is not involved in their ispensing, the push button or non-coin control will be used to initiate the dispensing operation.

I claim:

1. A cigarette dispensing machine having a cigarette container. a cigarette dispensing tray. a cigarette discharging conveyance for carrying a cigarette from the container to the tray,'an igniter between the container and the tray, an electrical circuit, a motor therein connected to motivate the conveyance characterized by the fact that the motor continuously operates when its circuit is closed and by mechanism for causing the conveyance driven from the motor to pause automatically when its cigarette comes into register with the igniter and after a pause to start on its way again.

2. Dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 in which said conveyance comprises a rotatably mounted grooved drum, and wherein said mechanism for causing the conveyance driven from the motor to pause automatically when its cigarette comes into register with the igniter and .after a pause to start on its way again comprises a train of elements driven by the motor extending from the motor to the .drum which includes a pair of coacting gears one of which is mutilated.

3. A dispenser for lightedcigarettes having a reservoir for maintaining therein cigarettes to be dispensed; a throat passage leading therefrom through which cigarettes can pass from the reservoir'by gravity and of a size that it is substantially closed by the presence therein of one cigarette; a sloping bottom portion being included in the reservoir inclined toward the throat which in preferred form is vertically disposed; movable means associated with said reservoir for conveying cigarettes upwardly along at least a part of the sloping bottom away from the throat for setting up a mass motion movement of the cigarettes in the hopper to assure the orderly feed of cigarettes to the throat while creating a minimum of tobacco crumbs from the cigarettes; a cigarette igniter element in an operating circuit; a conveyor for containing and conducting one cigarette at a time from the throat past the igniter to dispensing discharge from the conveyor; motor driven apparatus for operating said movable means and said conveyor; means for rendering the motor operable; and automatic means for stopping the motor and its operated parts after a lighted cigarette has been dispensed, in a relationship that no cigarette is left in the conveyor upon the cessation of its movement.

4. A dispenser for lighted cigarettes having a reservoir for maintaining therein cigarettes to be dispensed; a throat passage leading therefrom through which cigarettes can pass from the reservoir by gravity and of a size that it is substantially closed by the presence therein of one cigarette; a cigarette igniter element in an operating circuit; a conveyor for containing and conducting one cigarette at a time from the throat past the igniter to dispensing discharge from the conveyor; motor driven apparatus for operating said conveyor; means for rendering the motor operable; and automatic means for stopping the motor and its operated parts after a lighted cigarette has been dispensed, in a. relationship that no cigarette is left in the conveyor upon the cessation of its movement.

5. A dispenser for lighted cigarettes having a reservoir for maintaining therein cigarettes to be dispensed; a passage leading therefrom through which cigarettes can pass from the reservoir one at a time; a cigarette igniter element in an operating circuit; a conveyor for conducting one cigarette at a. time from the passage past the igniter to dispensing discharge from the conveyor; motor driven apparatus ,for operating said conveyor; means for rendering the motor operable; and automatic means for stopping the motor and its operatedparts after a lighted cigarette has been dispensed, in a relationship that no cigarette is fed into lighting position upon 1 cessation of the movement of the conveyor.

DONALD BRUCE LANE. 

